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Thomas Furlong
by George J. Dance Thomas Furlong (1794 - 25 July 1827) was an Irish poet.Gilbert, 330. Life Furlong was born at Scarawalsh, between Ferns and Enniscorthy in Co. Wexford. Travelling to Dublin with his father, he made the acquaintance of a Bolton St. grocer, Hart, who apprenticed him and supported his education up to age 15. When Hart died in 1821, Furlong wrote an elegy for him, which was published in Gentleman's Magazine and caught the attention of a the owner of Jameson's distillery, who gave him a job.Thomas Furlong, Ricorso.net. Web, June 23, 2016. He worked in the counting-house of Jameson's distillery until his death. He was a fouding member of The New Irish Magazine and Monthly National Advocate in 1822. He also contributed to the New Monthly Magazine in London, as well as to other periodicals. Thomas Moore, Charles Maturin, and Lady Morgan praised his work. At the instance of James Hardiman, author of the History of Galway, Furlong undertook to produce metrical versions in English of the compositions of Carolan and other native Irish poets. Hardman contributed 42 translations, most of Volume I. While engaged on this work, and on a poem entitled The Doom of Derenzie, Furlong died in Dublin, of consumption. He was buried in the churchyard of Drumcondra. Writing His first work was a poem, The Misanthrope (London 1819), composed, he stated, with the object of reclaiming a friend who, owing to early disappointments, had retired from society. It was withdrawn by the author on account of numerous typographical errors. He issued a second edition at Dublin in 1821, with other poems. A poem entitled The Plagues of Ireland: An epistle,' appeared at Dublin in 1824, with a view to promoting Catholic emancipation. He described his work as "a little sketch and hasty picturing" of the more prominent evils and grievances which should be removed before that "harassed land" of Ireland could calculate on the enjoyment of tranquillity. To The Plagues of Ireland Furlong appended a few 'occasional poems.' Of the Doom of Derenzie but one sheet had been revised by the author. It appeared posthumously (London, 1829). The poem treated the superstitions of the peasantry of Wexford. Several of Furlong's metrical translations, and a portrait of him, appeared in Hardiman's work on Irish minstrelsy (London, 1831). Recognition A "Memoir of Thomas Furlong" appeared in Hardiman’s Irish Minstrelsy with an engraved portrait. One of his compositions was, in 1845. included in Duffy's Ballad Poetry of Ireland. Publications *''The Misanthrope, with other poems''. London: Henry Colburn, 1819; Dublin: W. Underwood, 1821. *''The Plagues of Ireland: An epistle''. Dublin: privately published, 1824. *''The Doom of Derenzie: A poem''. London: Joseph Robins, 1829. *''Thomas Furlong: The forgotten Wexford poet'' (edited by Sean Mythen). Ferns, Co. Wexford, Ireland: Clone Publications, 1998. Translated *42 translations in Irish Minstrelsy; or, Bardic remains of Ireland; with English poetical translations (edited by James Hardiman). (2 volumes), London: Joseph Robins, 1831. Volume I, Volume II Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Thomas Furlong, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, June 23, 2016. See also *List of U.S. poets References * . Wikisource, Web, June 23, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *"The Fate of Ullin: An ode" ;About *Thomas Furlong at Ricorso.net. *Thomas Furlong (1794-1827) at English Poetry, 1579-1830 * Furlong, Thomas Category:1794 births Category:1827 deaths Category:19th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Irish poets Category:Poets Category:Working-class poets